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Idiazabal con Membrillo y Nueces
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Idiazabal belongs to the Basque Country and Navarra: raw sheep's milk cheese, firm and nutty, sometimes smoked, served plainly with quince paste and walnuts so the cheese stays in charge.
Appetizers & Snacks
Spanish
Dinner Party
Special Occasion
Christmas
1 hr 10 min
Active Time
5 min cook•1 hr 15 min total
Yield6 servings
Idiazabal is Basque and Navarrese, a shepherds' cheese made from Latxa or Carranzana sheep's milk, firm, pale, nutty, and often brushed with a quiet smoke from beech or hawthorn. This is not a cheese to hide under honey and decoration. Slice it well, let it warm, and serve it with membrillo, quince paste, and walnuts. That's enough.
The method that decides it is temperature. Cold Idiazabal tastes tight and waxy, and the smoke sits dull on the tongue. Give the wedge a full hour out of the refrigerator before cutting, then slice it into small wedges or thick shards. At room temperature the fat softens, the sheep's milk comes forward, and the finish turns long and clean.
If you can't find Idiazabal where you are, look first for Roncal from Navarra, then for a firm Manchego curado. Roncal keeps you closer in geography and sheep's milk character; Manchego is easier to find but sweeter and less smoky. No hace falta haber pisado España. Buy the best wedge you can, cut it just before serving, and don't crowd the plate. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.
Idiazabal is protected by the DOP of the Basque Country and Navarra, where mountain shepherds made firm sheep's milk cheeses that could travel down from the pastures and keep through the year. The milk comes from Latxa and Carranzana sheep, hardy local breeds tied to the grazing of the green northern hills. The smoke on some wheels came from storage near the hearth, not from a need to perfume the cheese; smoked and unsmoked versions both belong to the tradition.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
Idiazabal cheese, smoked or unsmoked
Quantity
300g
membrillo (quince paste)
Quantity
120g
cut into small rectangles
walnuts
Quantity
80g
lightly toasted
rustic bread
Quantity
120g
sliced
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1 tablespoon
for brushing the bread
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Idiazabal cheese, smoked or unsmoked | 300g |
| membrillo (quince paste)cut into small rectangles | 120g |
| walnutslightly toasted | 80g |
| rustic breadsliced | 120g |
| extra virgin olive oilfor brushing the bread | 1 tablespoon |
Equipment Needed
- •Small sharp cheese knife
- •Dry frying pan
- •Wooden board or plain ceramic plate
Instructions
- 1
Temper the cheese
Take the Idiazabal out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving, still wrapped so the cut face does not dry. This is the step that decides the plate: cold sheep cheese tastes closed and rubbery, while room-temperature Idiazabal gives you the nut, the milk, and the smoke properly.
- 2
Toast the walnuts
Put the walnuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan now and then, until they smell warm and nutty. Do not brown them hard or they turn bitter against the cheese.
- 3
Prepare the bread
Brush the bread very lightly with olive oil and toast it until the edges are crisp but the middle still has a little chew. The bread is there to carry the cheese, not to fight it.
- 4
Cut and serve
Cut the membrillo into neat small rectangles. Unwrap the cheese and slice it just before serving into wedges or thick shards, about 8 to 10g each. Set the cheese, membrillo, walnuts, and bread on one board with space between them, so each bite can be cheese first, then sweet quince, then walnut if you like. Tal como se hace allí, plainly and without fuss.
Chef Tips
- •Look for Idiazabal DOP made from Latxa or Carranzana sheep's milk. Smoked is common, but unsmoked is just as proper; don't reject a good wheel because it lacks smoke.
- •If Idiazabal is not available, Roncal is the closest Spanish substitute. Manchego curado works at a pinch, but it is sweeter and less sharp, so use a little less membrillo beside it.
- •Do not slice the cheese hours ahead. Cut faces dry quickly, and a dry sheep cheese tastes saltier than it should.
Advance Preparation
- •Toast the walnuts up to 1 day ahead and keep them in an airtight container.
- •Cut the membrillo up to 4 hours ahead, but keep the cheese whole and wrapped until just before serving.
- •Bring the cheese to room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 105g)
Calories
350 calories
Total Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
11 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
8 g
Cholesterol
48 mg
Sodium
440 mg
Total Carbohydrates
31 g
Dietary Fiber
2 g
Sugars
18 g
Protein
15 g
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